Snowdrifts shouldn't flood basements

Temperatures expected to warm enough to melt snow by week's end

Temperatures expected to warm enough to melt snow by week's end

April 03, 2007|By Angela Mettler, American News Writer

Aberdeen homeowners shouldn't have to worry about the waist-high snowdrifts in their yards ending up in their basements. "The ground is mostly frozen so (the melting snow) is going to run somewhere," said Brown County Extension Educator Marjorie Zastrow. Although normal temperatures are expected for the next two days, temperatures will warm up enough to melt the snow by the end of the week. Troy Kleffman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Aberdeen, said the highs Thursday and Friday will be near 40 degrees and lows will be in the low 20s. Zastrow said homeowners can prevent future flooding problems by moving snow away from a home's foundation, making sure gutters are as unobstructed as possible and attaching downspout extensions to divert water away from a home. She said homeowners should also keep an eye on melting snow causing icy conditions in driveways and on sidewalks. City Engineer Robin Bobzien said city workers are making sure storm sewers are clear to handle the water when the snow melts. In the meantime, Aberdonians can expect highs in the mid-20s and lows in the mid-teens today and Wednesday - average for this time of year, Kleffman said. Patchy fog and light freezing drizzle are expected this morning. "It will probably cover a large part of central and eastern South Dakota," Kleffman said. - o measurable precipitation is expected for today and Wednesday. A 20 percent chance of light freezing rain is expected for Thursday night and Friday. Bobzien said ice from melting snow freezing at night has not been a problem so far, but the city will spread salt in troublesome areas if needed. City workers are also widening some streets that were badly drifted in and hauling snow from parking lots and cul-de-sacs, Bobzien said. Butch Burns, general foreman of the Brown County Highway Department, said county roads were open as of 5:30 p.m. Saturday. On Monday, county crews were plowing to widen some roads and spreading salt on snowpacked intersections, hills and bridges.